1. Field of the Invention
Wash basins, sinks, bath tubs, shower stalls, and similar enclosures incorporate drains for disposal of waste fluids such as water. Such drains incorporate a variety of closure devices and mechanisms that may become fouled and or clogged with debris such as hair and soap particles and residue. The present invention incorporates novel components and tools into such closure devices and mechanisms that enable an integrated cleaning and clearing capability.
2. Description of Prior Art
Many types of industrial, commercial, and residential enclosures have been made to contain fluids needed for a variety of applications that can include spraying, coating, washing, showering, mixing, cleaning, and other uses of fluids. In residential and similar industrial applications showers, tubs, sinks, wash basins, and the like have incorporated sumps and drains that are used to continuously or periodically evacuate the fluid contained therein.
Such sumps and drains have included valves and closure devices and related components that enable the drain and sump to be opened and closed. During use, sumps, drains, and the integrated valves and closure components can become fouled and clogged with residue, debris, and particles as the contained fluid flows down the drain and is evacuated.
In residential applications, such drains and closure devices can become clogged with hair and soap particles and residue as water flows out of the sink, bath, shower, tub, or similar enclosure. For as long as such enclosures have existed, the problem of clearing clogs of hair and soap debris from the drains and sumps has persisted. In the present, many drains incorporate a drain apparatus that includes a drain basket and a closure device that seals the drain basket to temporarily retain water in the enclosure. Drain closure devices can be made from a simple polymeric type stopper or plug construction, or may be arranged to mechanically cooperate with the drain basket to seal and open the drain.
Such drain baskets are typically fastened to the sump or lowest point in the tub, sink, shower stall, or other enclosure and to an underlying drain pipe so that unwanted fluid or drainage, such as water, flows under the force of gravity into the drain basket for evacuation from the enclosure.
There have been a number of prior attempts to improve the state of the art of such drains and closure devices. One attempt has sought to improve the related art of clearing waste substances such as food from drains and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,404,596 to Coory. This device is limited to an integrally formed plunger or scraper including two or more scraper blades that project from a handle having water passage slots that is used to move waste substances into and down a disposal unit. U.S. Pat. No. 6,138,290 to Lin describes an improved drain closure that includes a movable drain closure fitting that slides on a guide post shaft connected to a drain fitting or basket. The Lin drain basket also includes arms that extend inwardly to form a threaded guide post holder that receives the shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,570 to Ball discloses a similar type of drain and closure device, which further includes a resilient material that cooperates with the guide post to frictionally hold the position of the closure at any point between fully open and fully closed positions. These prior attempts also inherently enable the capture of hair and soap particles about the inwardly extending arms of the drain. However, those knowledgeable in the arts have found that such capturing can foul the drain basket and form a clog therein. In other circumstances, such capture of hair and debris by the arms is limited and does not prevent the accumulation of hair and debris in downstream sections of the drain and drain pipe, which also results in clogs.
In some applications, the inwardly expanding arms or cross members are also commonly adapted with multiple such arms or cross members to better capture foreign material to prevent downstream clogs.
Another previous effort to avoid such downstream clogs is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,775,873 to Luoma. This apparatus includes an elongate, flexible strip with an attached handle. The flexible strip is inserted into a drain basket and extends into the underlying drain pipe. The strip further includes barbed portions that extend outwardly from the strip to grip hair moving along the strip in the drain pipe during use of the drain. This arrangement seeks to capture hair during continuous evacuation of fluid through a drain. When the strip is removed, the captured hair is thereby removed from the drain pipe and drain basket in an attempt to prevent clogs. However, the barbed portions may not grip and capture all such hair moving past the strip, which may still lead to clogging. Additionally, the flexible strip may break and form a clog itself. Each of the noted patents is incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Those having skill in the relevant arts will appreciate that such prior attempts fall short of solving the myriad problems associated with drain clogs that result from the buildup of hair and soap particles and residue. Some of the noted attempts describe drain closures that enable the removal of drain clogging hair and debris before evacuation of the fluid or water in the enclosure. However, these devices do not enable the continuous evacuation of fluid or water during use of the enclosure, and it may be undesirable to have fluid and water accumulate in the enclosure. Other attempts that seek to grip or capture hair during continuous evacuation can introduce new sources of drain fouling and clogs.
Despite these prior attempts, the problems of drain fouling and clogging persist. What continues to be needed are improvements that enable an improved capability to clear and clean clogs. It is also desirable to enable the capability to periodically service drains to clean and clear pre-clog accumulation of hair and soap debris. Even the noted prior devices continue to become fouled and clogged, which necessitates more extensive use of other drain cleaning and clearing tools such as drain snakes, plungers, and even pipe wrenches, screwdrivers, and pliers.
While in some situations, such as those disclosed in the Coory patent, undersink, electric waste disposals can be incorporated that collect and shred foreign matter to enable the resulting particles to be evacuated with the waste fluid and into the drain and wastewater system. However, such electric waste disposal devices create considerable noise and therefore have limited utility and are undesirable for use in residential bathroom fixtures and the like, among other unsuitable locations.
Without such electric waste disposal devices, clogs and blockages from hair, soap particles, and other residue and debris persist. Methods to clean and clear such clogs and blockages usually require a substantial investment of time, and include the aforementioned tools as well as the use of chemicals, disassembly of the drain and downstream plumping and pipes, and the intervention of plumbers and other similarly skilled and equipped experts. Each of these possible solutions introduces additional issues.
For example, chemical clog removal techniques can produce noxious gas, and can result in exposure of skin and equipment to the possibly damaging chemicals. Further, chemicals rely on the capability to dissolve and cause the disintegration of the material causing the clog. Many chemical solutions may flow past a partial clog or blockage and will not remain in contact for a long enough time to have the desired cleaning and clearing effect.
Additionally, chemical cleaning and clearing methods can have no effect on mechanical clogs and blockages. Manually cleaning and clearing solutions using the noted tools and equipment can introduce further damage when aged, rusted plumbing and piping must be disassembled to clear and clean clogged plumbing. Finding a reputable professional is difficult and can be costly and time consuming.
The present invention addresses many of these and other issues with new and as yet unavailable drain closures and drain clearing tools and devices that enable periodic, low cost, and minimally time consuming preventative maintenance capabilities as well as integrated clearing and cleaning options that reduce the need for chemicals, professional intervention, and other tools and drain clearing and cleaning equipment.